Arthur Millay

By editor

Created 01/04/2013 - 12:02pm

On Dec. 25, 2012, Arthur Lee Millay went home to be with his Lord and Savior. Lee was born in Spokane on June 11, 1924 to Rolland and Dorothy Millay.
In his younger years, he attended school in a two-room school house in Four Lakes. In 1936, his family moved to Blue Creek and he finished grade school there. He went to high school in Chewelah and graduated in 1942. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Radioman. His squadron served in the Pacific Theater and covered the invasion of the Philippines at Leyte. He was awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal with 2 stars, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with 3 stars, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Navy Air Medal. He was honorably discharged in 1946.
Later in 1946, he met and married Phyllis L. Wheaton and they raised six children together. During their early-married life, Lee held various government jobs in Washington State. In 1958 he accepted a position with the FAA in Anchorage, Alaska. He worked for the FAA in Anchorage and Kenai, Alaska. He retired in 1978 and in 1979 they bought a 38-foot yacht and spent the next six years traveling between Washing¬ton and Alaska. In 1985 they sold their boat and moved to Ione. In 2004 they moved to Spokane.
He was preceded in death by his parents; by his brother, Rolland; his brother-in-law and friend, Oscar Rosin; his grand¬son, Nathaniel, and his daughter-in-law, Alice Millay.
He is survived by Phyllis, his wife of 66 years, and his chil¬dren, Theresa Dooley, Ronald and Joan Millay, Allen Millay, Debra and Rick King, Gregory and Lynn Millay and Daniel and Dori Millay. He is also survived by 20 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
In addition, he is survived by his sisters, Marjorie Rosin and Marilyn Wareham and their families; his sister-in-law, Erlene Cooper and her family and by his brother Rolland's family.
Lee's loves were his Lord, his family, ham radios, flying and fishing. He will always be in our hearts and one day we will see him again.
A celebration of his life will be held on Thursday, Jan. 3, 1:30 p.m., at Trinity Baptist Church, 6528 N. Monroe St. in Spo¬kane.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hospice of Spo¬kane or a charity of choice.